I’ve recently come to recognize that I may have what I think may be an odd social anxiety that’s sort of in this thread. I can relate to the aspect of something being off so that you don’t attend social functions.
I don’t really have self-esteem issues with regard to my looks – some people find me attractive and some don’t – but I have become almost paralyzed with a weird clothing anxiety. I have abandoned many social outings casual and formal, many times at the last minute, because I feel like “I’m not wearing the right outfit.” This may sound petty and silly and logically, I know it is too, but I’ve been totally overcome with “I can’t go out in these clothes” too many times to count. I also feel an overwhelming amount of pressure the day of any event which can ruin the spirit of the celebration I’m attending.
The odd thing is I live in Seattle – which is one of the most casual places I’ve ever lived. It’s not like the name-brand-checking, label-looking fashion of some of the east coast. The other odd thing is that I do not care what others wear – so it’s not like I’m so critical that I’m not meeting my own standards.
I don’t know what it’s about but I definitely need to identify why it’s happening and get it to stop. It’s really impacting my social life.